On September 9 (Wednesday), the first hearing for the trial of four individuals, including the erstwhile YG Entertainment executive producer Yang Hyun Suk, 50, was held at the Seoul Western District Court. The trial is also Kim and Lee’s first, the co-CEOs of YG Entertainment’s subsidiary YGX.
Earlier in June, Yang Hyun Suk was summoned on charges for traveling to Las Vegas, United States, for seven consecutive times between July of 2015 and January of 2019. The matter became illegal when the music executive gambled the estimated sum of $335,460 with the other four individuals.
Having that said, Yang Hyun Suk was inflicted with a summary judgment, which is the judgment by the trial court with an in-person hearing, but was then backed by the same court that an in-person trial is necessary for the case to move forward.
According to Soompi, the sole lawyer of the music official issued a statement, admitting all charges indicted to the former K-pop idol. “We admit to all charges,” the lawyer exclaimed.
Furthermore, the lawyer stated that the evidence presented by the prosecution side is authentic proof.
Throughout the hearing, Yang Hyun Suk did not show any sign of speaking out the truth, expect his presence was highly needed for the court to come with a decision. The music executive wore a black suit and face mask during the trial, without responding to any of the questions asked by the media while waking in and out of the courtroom.
Moreover, the second trial hearing for Yang Hyun Suk and the three other individuals is set for October 28, 2020.
In related news, a representative of Yang Hyun Suk’s bars & club in Hongdae was charged with tax evasion and embezzlement on August 23. Reports find that the former YG Entertainment CEO owned two outlets in Hongdae, where its CEO, Mr. Kim, evaded over 7,000 KRW, alongside writing fake tax invoices.